ROSEMARY Overview Information
Rosemary is an herb. Oil is extracted from the leaf and used to make medicine.
Rosemary is used for digestion problems, including heartburn, intestinal gas (flatulence), liver and gallbladder complaints, and loss of appetite. It is also used for gout, cough, headache, and high blood pressure.
Some women use rosemary for increasing menstrual flow and causing abortions.
Rosemary is used topically (applied to the skin) for preventing and treating baldness; and treating circulation problems, toothache, a skin condition called eczema, and joint or muscle pain such as myalgia, sciatica, and intercostal neuralgia. It is also used for wound healing, in bath therapy (balneotherapy), and as an insect repellent.
In foods, rosemary is used as a spice. The leaf and oil are used in foods, and the oil is used in beverages.
In manufacturing, rosemary oil is used as a fragrant component in soaps and perfumes.
How does it work?
Although it's not clear how rosemary works for hair loss, applying it to the scalp irritates the skin and increases blood circulation.
ROSEMARY Uses & Effectiveness 
Possibly Effective for:
- Hair loss, in combination with thyme, lavender, and cedarwood. There is some evidence that after 7 months of treatment, this combination improves hair growth in 44% of people who try it.
Possibly Ineffective for:
- Causing abortions.
Insufficient Evidence for:
- Gas (flatulence).
- Indigestion.
- Increasing menstrual flow.
- Gout.
- Cough.
- Headache.
- Liver and gallbladder problems.
- High blood pressure.
- Toothache.
- Eczema.
- Joint or muscle pain.
- Other conditions.
ROSEMARY Side Effects & Safety
Rosemary is safe when consumed in amounts found in foods, and seems safe for most people when used as a medicine that is taken by mouth, applied to the skin, or inhaled as aromatherapy.
However, the undiluted oil is UNSAFE to take by mouth. Taking large amounts of rosemary can cause vomiting, uterine bleeding, kidney irritation, increased sun sensitivity, skin redness, and allergic reactions.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Rosemary is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken by mouth in medicinal amounts. Rosemary might stimulate menstruation or affect the uterus, causing a miscarriage. Not enough is known about the safety of applying rosemary to the skin during pregnancy. If you are pregnant, it’s best to avoid rosemary in amounts larger than food amounts.If you are breast-feeding, also steer clear of rosemary in medicinal amounts. Not enough is known about what effects it might have on the nursing infant.
Seizure disorders: Rosemary might make seizure disorders worse. Don’t use it.
ROSEMARY Interactions
We currently have no information for ROSEMARY Interactions
ROSEMARY Dosing
The following doses have been studied in scientific research:
APPLIED TO THE SKIN:
- For the treatment of bald spots (alopecia areata): A combination of the essential oils including 3 drops or 114 mg of rosemary, 2 drops or 88 mg of thyme, 3 drops or 108 mg of lavender, and 2 drops or 94 mg of cedarwood, all mixed with 3 mL of jojoba oil and 20 mL of grapeseed oil has been used. Each night, the mixture is massaged into the scalp for 2 minutes with a warm towel placed around the head to increase absorption.
